If the Jamaica women's national soccer team can finish in the top three of its group in a qualifying campaign beginning this year, it books itself a trip to the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada.

If the money doesn't dry up first.

Their qualifying campaign is currently threatened by something more fearsome than any opposing goalie, defense or striker: A lack of funding that might nullify the squad's World Cup chances, no matter how well the players perform.

Without a serious fund-raising drive, the Jamaican women's team will struggle to have the facilities, transportation and accommodations needed to continue its qualification campaign, according to Garth-Anthony Savoury, the Jamaica Football Federation's director of marketing.

To help attack the problem, the federation has turned to a familiar friend of those in need: The Internet. It's also turned to someone you might not expect: Cedella Marley, an activist, entrepreneur and daughter of Bob.

'Very palpable' consequences

Cedella Marley has signed on to help the Jamaica women's national soccer team raise money for its World Cup qualifying campaign.

Image: Cedella Marley

Women's soccer has long been under-funded in Jamaica; Marley blames a lack of Title IX legislation, Savoury blames soccer being seen "a male sport" for generations. The upshot is that in a country with limited athletic funds, the Reggae Girlz get left behind their more popular male counterparts, the Reggae Boyz.

That's why the Jamaica Football Federation hopes surging global interest in soccer thanks to this summer's World Cup in Brazil can help focus attention on the Reggae Girlz as they struggle to fund their qualifying campaign for the 2015 Women's World Cup.

A GoFundMe campaign seeks to raise $750,000, while Marley has taken on the role of the Reggae Girlz' chief fundraising cheerleader and ambassador. Marley and the Jamaica Football Federation are also soliciting help from Jamaican citizens and others offline. But they see the GoFundMe campaign, which has so far raised about $20,000, as a way to find aid outside of Jamaica.

Marley's familiar name — and her father's powerful posthumous brand — don't hurt either. Anyone who donates up to $5,000 via GoFundMe and then mentions the House of Marley company in an on-site comment, for example, will have their donation matched by the company.

But if enough money is not raised, Savory says, the "consequences will be very palpable."

An importance bigger than soccer

Qualifying campaigns begin mid-June at a tournament in the Dominican Republic; from there the team would advance to another Caribbean tournament in August, this time in Trinidad and Tobago, where it can earn a spot in the World Cup qualifying region that encompasses North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

They might not even make the first stop if enough money isn't raised in time. And if the Reggae Girlz scrape just enough together to make that first tournament, Savoury says they'll keep scrambling to pay for each step along the way.

With only $20,000 of the $750,000 goal met, the Reggae Girlz will need a fundraising comeback for their shot.

According to Marley, however, putting the Jamaican women's soccer team on solid financial footing is important for reasons that extend well beyond any tournament — even the Women's World Cup. She says the lack of attention — and funding — paid to female soccer in Jamaica restricts what many of the country's youngest residents can accomplish in life beyond the sport.

"This has hindered the development of the program which is a shame because many young women have been able to receive scholarships to college based on their athletic ability," Marley wrote in an email. "That education empowers not only them but our nation as a whole."

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Image: Dmitry Lovetsky/Associated Press

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Image: Dmitry Lovetsky/Associated Press

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Image: Dmitry Lovetsky/Associated Press

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Image: Dmitry Lovetsky/Associated Press

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